Improvement in cotton-cleaners



3 SheetsSheet 1.

J. W. THORN. Cotton-Gleaner. No. 221,431, gqfrented Nov. 11, I879.

INVENTDR: Josctv kl- W. Thain,

Albumen;

3 Sheets-Sheet. 2.

J. W. THORN.

Cotton-Gleaner.

gng tfi nted Nov. 11, 1879.

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INVENTEIR. J08 QJKJ'Q .W. Tluww,

N. PETERS, PHOlO-LITHOGRAFHER WASHINGTON D C 3 Sheets-Sheet J. W. THORN. Cotton Gleaner No. 221,431. Patented Nov. II, 1879.

FIG. VII.

INVENTEIR: T03 Thorn ilvrrn n STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH W. THORN,OF IUKA, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF OF HIS RIGHT TO GEORGE W. MILLER, OF SAME PLACE.

IM'PROVEM ENT IN COTTON-CLEANERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,431, dated November 11, 1879; application filed May 12, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. THORN, of Iuka, in the county of Tishomingo and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gotton-Oleaners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The nature of my invention consists in improvements in machines for cleaning cotton, primarily, from seed, dirt, or other material that would tend to injure its sale or use; but the same machine can be used for cleansing feathers and other substances of a fibrous character, without any material change in its construction and operation.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which this machine appertains, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had tothe accompanyin g drawings, making part ofthis specification.

Figure I is a side elevation, showing the means used, and gearing, for operating and controlling the movement of the dischargedoors. Fig. II is a view of. the opposite side of the machine shown in Fig. I, and showing the gearing for the feed-rollers. Fig. III is a longitudinal vertical section of the machine with the cover in position. Fig. IV is a top or plan view of the same with the cover removed. Fig. V is a. detail view of the feedroll gear enlarged. Fig. VI is an enlarged view of gear for tripping-lever. Fig. VII is a longitudinal vertical section of a modification in the mode of feeding cotton to the machine by means of a hopper instead of the endless-apron mode of feeding.

The same letters in the several figures refer to the same parts of the machine.

A is the main frame of the machine, to and within which all its parts are secured. B is a close cover to the machine resting upon the top of the frame A, and over the fans and beaters D d.

To the inner side of this cover is secured the perforated metallic inner lining, being in form a segment of a circle, a space being'left between this lining (J and cover B. Such lin-. ing, when in position, abuts upon or slightly over a metallic perforated lining, O O, the latter being continuous and below the fans and heaters, and in form the segments of two circles.

Below the lining O O is a metallic shield, L, that is practically a continuation of the cover B, leaving a space or chamber between it and the lining (1" 0, thereby completely covering the fans or heaters above and below; The heaters are arranged transversely to the machine and secured to the frame A, in the manner shown in Fig. IV, upon the shafts E E.

n is a pulley upon the end of the forward shaft, and 0 o is a double pulley upon the end of the rear shaft. 0 can be used for the driving-pulley. The pulleys a and 0 are connected by means of the belt n.

Upon the opposite end of the shaft E, on which is the pulley 0, is secured the pulley b and worm-pinion c that plays in the gear-wheel d, causing the rotation of the shaft or rod 7.. The fans D are formed of a metallic plane surface, upon the top of which are secured the beaters 01. (Two fans and heaters are shown in drawings; but an additional number may be employed, if desired, by enlarging the frame and cover of the machine.)

F is the inner feed-roller, and G the outer feed-roller, around which rev'olves the feedbelt or apron g. H is a pressure-roller, located above the feed-roller F, playing loosely between suitable guides, and its action controlled by the spring Z.

To one end of the inner feed-roller shaft is secured the pulley m, and near its opposite end is rigidly secured a clntchin g device, a.

a is a frame or support to the extreme end of the inner feed-roller shaft, and upon this shaft is placed a loose clutch-pulley, a, engaging, at the proper time, with the clutching device a.

One side of the clutch-pulley a is prolonged to admit of the formation upon it of the groove t, within which rest the forked arms 1, which, with their counterpart 2 at a right angle to each other, are secured to the frame or support a", in the manner shown at 3, Fig. V. The

parts or forks 1 and 2 are connected together by means of a plate, the latter pivoted, as shown in Fig. V.

In Fig. I, k is a gear-shaft, having secured upon it the grooved cam e, gear-wheel (I, and cam s. b and c are hangers for the ends of shaft k. h is a connecting-rod for the trippinggear, and is pivoted to the upright A of the frame. u is a spiral spring attached to the counecting-rod h and to frame A. r is a link pivoted t-o rod h, and also to lever w, the latter kleilp g also pivoted to a hanger,f, on the hang- A pawl, at, is formed upon the free end of lever 10, and strikes into the notch 0 formed within the grooved cam c.

The cam s is secured upon the forward end of the shaft k, and the forked arms 2 impinge upon it, but not in the same plane.

By the revolution of the eam s upon the shaft h the clutch-pulley a is forced in and out of gear with the clutch device a by means of the forked arms 1 and 2.

t is a hanger with slot supporting the rod h. p is a slotted lever, in which the rod h plays, and is secured upon one end of the shaft, to which the door K is secured. q is a rod, connecting lever p to crank r, which is secured upon the end of the shaft to which the door I is secured. N N are hangers on either side of the machine, in which the ends of the shafts to which the doors I and K are attached, are supported. I is a pivoted lever, secured to frame A, upon the end of which is placed the pulley I. l is a coiled spring. to keep the le- Yet in proper position, to which it is attached, as well as to the frame A. m is a pulley on end of inner hard-roller, and m pulley on end of resser-roller, connected and operated by the belt m.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The cotton or other material to be cleaned is placed as evenly as is convenient upon the apron g, and is carried forward until it comes in contact with heaters and is drawn into the machine. The rapid revolution of the fans and heaters disintegrates the fibrous material, and theimpurities contained in it are carried through the perforations U C 0 into the dust chamber or receptacle and expelled from the bottom of the same, following the direction of the arrows. (Shown in Fig. III at X.)

At every revolution of the grooved cum 0 the door-tripping mechanism, consisting of the rod h, slotted lever 10, rod q, crank rconnected with the shafts on which the doors 1 K are hun g, causes the doors to open,'and the cleaned material or cotton is allowed to pass out, and at every revolution of the cam 8 the clutchpulley is forced in contact with the clutch (levice, on the end of the feed-roller shaft, by the means hereinbefore described, thereby giving motion to the feed-roller shaft, and the cotton is then fed to the machine. Upon the retraction of the clutch-pulley from the clutch device, the process of cleaning the cotton still goes on, and the cleaned cotton is discharged by the tripping mechanism operating upon the doors, thereby imparting alternate operations to the feeding and cleaning mechanisms of the machine, and the opening and closing of the exit-doors through which the cleaned cotton is discharged.

The hopper, as seen in Fig. VII, may be placed at one end of the machine above the heaters, and, being filled with cotton, which is pressed down in any suitable manner sufficiently to engage with the arms of said heaters, the cotton is in that way drawn into the machine. At the bottom of the hopper is placed a weighted lever, av 31, that can be closed after a proper supply of cotton has been cleaned by the machine, and opened when a new supply is required.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the shaft It, provided with gear-wheel d and grooved cam a with worm-pinion c, connecting-rod h, link a, and lever 2r, having pawl 20, slotted lever 2, rod q, crank r, doors I K, and mechanism forvoperating the whole, in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

2. The combination of the shaft h, provided with the cam .s', and mechanism for operating said shaft with forked arms 1 and 2, clutch a, and clutch-pulley a, in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH W. TIIORN.

Witnesses Geo. 1. HAMMERLY, ANTHONY T. SoRUGGs. 

